CAIRO — Devout Muslims and secularists are using the world’s second largest social networking website Facebook to debate the role of Islam in their societies, reported the Los Angeles Times on Friday, September 19.

“Secularism is refused by all means,” Mohamed Amer, an Egyptian, writes in a comment on a Facebook page.

Amer said most Muslims aspire to see Islam play a bigger role in their societies.

“In fact, it goes against the will of the Egyptian, the Arab and Muslim peoples who crave Islamic rule,” he writes.

“National interests rest in the adherence to Islam and faith.”

Amr Ali, an Egyptian dental student, has founded a Facebook group to confront efforts to promote secularism in Muslim societies.

“I’m very surprised at all the secular Facebook groups out there,” he said.

“Secular and atheist groups are posting on my group, accusing Islam of promoting terrorism,” said Ali, whose group “We the Muslim Youth Can Change This World” has attracted nearly 22,000 members.

“I’m concerned. They are young people and they are lost, following misleading slogans. Some of them are totally against religion and all the prophets.”

Facebook has grown to more than 70 million users worldwide to be the second social networking website after MySpace.

Founded in 2004, Facebook’s membership was initially restricted to students of the Harvard University.

It was later expanded to other universities in the United States and later to any student with a university email address from all over the world.